IKEA to Nashville

[Skyscrapergeek]

That was the USFL. 

[MidTenn1]

7 minutes ago, bnacincy said:

If I remember correctly, HoundDogs was the nickname of the short-lived CFL team there.

I lived in Memphis in the early 90's and I think the other reason the NFL passed on them was the Liberty Bowl. It just wasn't up to par for what the league was looking for.

Yes indeed, Memphis was one of 4 serious applicants for one of two expansion slots in the NFL at the time. The teams were awarded to Charlotte and Jacksonville. Memphis and St. Louis were left out.

I always thought the stadium situation hurt Memphis' bid more than anything. Their intention was to up grade the Liberty Bowl as the home of the team.

[bnacincy]

Correction: Mad Dogs was the CFL Team. Not Hound Dogs.

[Tennessine]

On 6/5/2018 at 7:26 AM, jmtunafish said:

Same here.  And I lived in Memphis twice for a total of 8 years.  I really gave that place a chance.  Their hatred and disdain for Nashville was palpable.

They do have issues with jealousy on that end of the state. I noticed that as soon as I began mixing with other UT undergraduate students from the Memphis area high schools.  I've said before how I'd like Memphis to succeed, but I agree with several of you that Memphians can rub you the wrong way.  Along with the great history, culture, and music in that city comes a distinct attitude that Memphians triumph. For instance, look no further than the "Memphis as F***" paraphernalia. Not that there's anything wrong with their pride, but it's certainly different from the Nashville happy-go-lucky hospitality.

They're also eager to jump your case if you mention Nashville's culinary scene. If I had a nickel for every time a Memphian stuck it to me how much better food is in their city compared with Nashville, I could pay for a nice barbecue platter at Rendezvous 

[MLBrumby]

CFL team was MadDogs  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Mad_Dogs

The NFL bid name was HoundDogs  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Hound_Dogs

Showboats were the USFL team https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Showboats

There was a $80 million revamp of the Liberty Bowl on the table. That would be about $200M today. It would have been enough to win the franchise. 

 

[Pdt2f]

58 minutes ago, nativetenn said:

They do have issues with jealousy on that end of the state. I noticed that as soon as I began mixing with other UT undergraduate students from the Memphis area high schools.  I've said before how I'd like Memphis to succeed, but I agree with several of you that Memphians can rub you the wrong way.  Along with the great history, culture, and music in that city comes a distinct attitude that Memphians triumph. For instance, look no further than the "Memphis as F***" paraphernalia. Not that there's anything wrong with their pride, but it's certainly different from the Nashville happy-go-lucky hospitality.

They're also eager to jump your case if you mention Nashville's culinary scene. If I had a nickel for every time a Memphian stuck it to me how much better food is in their city compared with Nashville, I could pay for a nice barbecue platter at Rendezvous 

Haha it always cracks me up when I watch a sporting event that takes place in Nashville and the commentators go on and on about Nashville bbq, because I know Memphians are shooting their pants about the thought that Nashville’s bbq scene would get televised national love instead of theirs. 

Most people I’ve met from Memphis tend to be happy not to live there anymore, but like I’ve mentioned many times on UP I think Memphis is a wonderful city to visit and I think it offers a lot. I’m a fan, but of course I’ve never lived there so I can’t testify to anything beyond visits. 

[VSRJ]

1 hour ago, Pdt2f said:

Haha it always cracks me up when I watch a sporting event that takes place in Nashville and the commentators go on and on about Nashville bbq, because I know Memphians are shooting their pants about the thought that Nashville’s bbq scene would get televised national love instead of theirs. 

Most people I’ve met from Memphis tend to be happy not to live there anymore, but like I’ve mentioned many times on UP I think Memphis is a wonderful city to visit and I think it offers a lot. I’m a fan, but of course I’ve never lived there so I can’t testify to anything beyond visits. 

Former Memphian of 20 years here...

There are things I very much miss about Memphis: Huey's, Central BBQ, Ching's Hot Wings, a skyline that looks like it existed before 1950, a large catalog of historically significant buildings that haven't been torn down, Overton Square, Overton Park, the Civil Rights Museum, Pink Palace, the zoo, University of Memphis, the University District, the river, Mud Island, Cooper Young, Midtown, East Memphis, Tom Lee Park, Shelby Farms, etc., etc. I could write an essay about why I love Memphis.

But I can easily list plenty of my frustrations with the city: the painfully slow speed of development, the lack of development, an untouched-since-1980 skyline, the trend of building "highway-exit" hotels in the core, the disaster that is the sprawl of suburban apartments in South Main, etc.

My likes and dislikes of Memphis parallel my likes and dislikes of Nashville. I wish I could combine the best of both cities. Could you imagine the Nashville skyline standing tall over the Mighty Mississippi? But alas, I have to take the good with the bad...for both cities.

Can we make a Memphis vs. Nashville thread? I enjoy the debate...when it's civil and constructive.

Edited June 7, 2018 by VSRJ

[Tennessine]

At the high school lunch table that is Tennessee, Memphis and Nashville are those two popular kids who sit together and tolerate each other, but at the end of the year they snap and every other town in the cafeteria chants, "Fight, fight, fight!" while Chattanooga and Knoxville pull out their phones and film it.

[LA_TN]

6 hours ago, bnacincy said:

If I remember correctly, HoundDogs was the nickname of the short-lived CFL team there.

I lived in Memphis in the early 90's and I think the other reason the NFL passed on them was the Liberty Bowl. It just wasn't up to par for what the league was looking for.

That is correct. NFL stadiums require corporate level boxes. The open layout of the Liberty Bowl was its #1 feature when built. But in the end it, that became its downfall 

[jmtunafish]

1 hour ago, LA_TN said:

That is correct. NFL stadiums require corporate level boxes. The open layout of the Liberty Bowl was its #1 feature when built. But in the end it, that became its downfall 

Right.  If I remember correctly, Jacksonville offered to totally raze and rebuild the Orange Bowl which was enough to secure an expansion team over Memphis which many felt was a better football city at the time.  Memphis also had the backing of the governors of three states (TN, MS, AR) and of course had the corporate support the NFL wanted.  I think back then, people in Nashville--which wasn't even on the NFL's radar--would've supported an NFL team in Memphis.  For that matter, I think people all over the state were hoping the NFL landed in Memphis.  I know I was even though I was living in Knoxville at the time.

Edited June 7, 2018 by jmtunafish

[titanhog]

4 hours ago, VSRJ said:

Former Memphian of 20 years here...

There are things I very much miss about Memphis: Huey's, Central BBQ, Ching's Hot Wings, a skyline that looks like it existed before 1950, a large catalog of historically significant buildings that haven't been torn down, Overton Square, Overton Park, the Civil Rights Museum, Pink Palace, the zoo, University of Memphis, the University District, the river, Mud Island, Cooper Young, Midtown, East Memphis, Tom Lee Park, Shelby Farms, etc., etc. I could write an essay about why I love Memphis.

But I can easily list plenty of my frustrations with the city: the painfully slow speed of development, the lack of development, an untouched-since-1980 skyline, the trend of building "highway-exit" hotels in the core, the disaster that is the sprawl of suburban apartments in South Main, etc.

My likes and dislikes of Memphis parallel my likes and dislikes of Nashville. I wish I could combine the best of both cities. Could you imagine the Nashville skyline standing tall over the Mighty Mississippi? But alas, I have to take the good with the bad...for both cities.

Can we make a Memphis vs. Nashville thread? I enjoy the debate...when it's civil and constructive.

The major differences, for now, seem to be that Nashville grabbed hold of the 21st Century and propelled itself forward (some of that is leadership...some is sports...some is the music scene...and we just happen to have the right industries for this time in history)...while Memphis rested on its laurels near the end of the 20th Century and got passed by (a lot of that seems to be because of fractured leadership and some bad decisions).  Some of it is luck (good luck for Nashville and bad luck for Memphis).  I'm sure Memphis will have its day again...and Nashville will take a step back...I just don't know when.

[MidTenn1]

I think we have discussed Memphis enough on this forum for now. City vs. City discussion does not help advance discussion of this topic or any other topic for that matter.

Let's get back to the IKEA (or as I would call it, I (don't) KEA) and what will replace it, please.

[bigeasy]

 

30 minutes ago, PHofKS said:

I think we have discussed Memphis enough on this forum for now. City vs. City discussion does not help advance discussion of this topic or any other topic for that matter.

Let's get back to the IKEA (or as I would call it, I (don't) KEA) and what will replace it, please.

Doesn't Memphis have an IKEA?

[titanhog]

See where OKC may be getting an IKEA.  Makes me scratch my head about Nashville losing out.

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/ikea-considering-oklahoma-city-for-new-location-report-says

Edited October 5, 2018 by titanhog

[TNinVB]

13 hours ago, titanhog said:

See where OKC may be getting an IKEA.  Makes me scratch my head about Nashville losing out.

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/ikea-considering-oklahoma-city-for-new-location-report-says

I don’t get it either. 

[urbanplanet17]

There's never a rhyme or reason to where retailers decide to open locations.

For all we know, there could simply be a close relative or mistress of an executive from Oklahoma who wants their own store and they get what they want.

I just stopped trying to figure it out.

Edited October 5, 2018 by urbanplanet17

[titanhog]

Just now, urbanplanet17 said:

There's never a rhyme or reason to where retailers open locations.

Yes...but when IKEA decided to drop Nashville after having a place picked out, they had just said they were going to take a break from doing the big box stores and focus on their online approach.  Guess that "break" is now over.

[jmtunafish]

39 minutes ago, titanhog said:

Yes...but when IKEA decided to drop Nashville after having a place picked out, they had just said they were going to take a break from doing the big box stores and focus on their online approach.  Guess that "break" is now over.

Or OKC is pulling a Memphis and is essentially giving IKEA millions of dollars to open a store there.

[nashvylle]

I could not care less about IKEA being in Nashville. If they do come, I would prefer they went in an area like Antioch where it could do good for the area.

[titanhog]

28 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I could not care less about IKEA being in Nashville. If they do come, I would prefer they went in an area like Antioch where it could do good for the area.

Yeah...too bad they pulled out of Antioch.  Would have been good for the area.  Personally...I've never shopped at IKEA...so I also could not care less (other than I know a lot of people would love to have one here).

[Pdt2f]

I was really only looking forward to it for the cheap Swedish food. So if someone opens a Swedish-themed discount restaurant in Nashville, I’ll immediately become indifferent about IKEA.  

[BnaBreaker]

5 hours ago, Pdt2f said:

I was really only looking forward to it for the cheap Swedish food. So if someone opens a Swedish-themed discount restaurant in Nashville, I’ll immediately become indifferent about IKEA.  

 

BAM!  Allemansrätten (lol) delivered to your doorstep.  

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00346407/

[Binbin98]

Folks keep in mind not only does Nashville not have an Ikea but Cleveland, New Orleans, Buffalo, Raleigh and San Antonio all do not have Ikeas, and all of them also have a larger metro area than oklahoma City and Memphis.

So ikea has absolutely no idea how to properly locate their stores. Nashvillians must not take it personally, it will make their brand look less desirable as more and more people move to cities like Nashville and Raleigh. This is my opinion anyways

[Tennessine]

Just let Memphis have this one... It doesn't have much else it can claim superior to Nashville anymore.

*triggers Memphis folks*

 

[samsonh]

Are you guys really upset ikea isn’t coming? A store not being in your city affects your feelings? Strange.